Sweden in Focus

It's been another turbulent week in Swedish politics. The deadlock remains, although the chances of a centre-right government forming seem to have increased. What do The Local’s readers and listeners make of it all?
We also be talking about how keeping the lights on is getting expensive… and why Swedes are drinking blood this week.
Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Richard Orange.
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Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:
Politics
'I just want to scream!' How foreigners in Sweden feel about the government drama
'Historic decision': Left Party demands Centre Party pick a side in Swedish government talks
How does the Sweden Democrats' decision to back Kristersson as PM change things?
Money
How to save money on your energy bill in Sweden
Interest rates are rising in Sweden – what does that mean for your finances?
Swedish traditions
Why the duck do some Swedes feast on goose blood in November?
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This week's Sweden in Focus Extra podcast features an interview with Jackie Rulander, a cross-cultural strategist from Barbados who is based in Jönköping.
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After more than 15 years in Sweden Jackie Rulander has encountered her fair share of culture clashes. Like most immigrants she's faced plenty of trivial challenges, like arriving a minute late to pick up her laundry and getting locked out of the communal laundry room.
But other cultural misunderstandings have cut much deeper, leading to mistrust and reputational damage. Her own experiences led her to explore more deeply the importance of cultural communication in fostering trust between immigrants and Swedes.
In an interview with The Local's Emma Löfgren, she explains why she moved to Sweden from Barbados, what she's learned from living in a community with dozens of different nationalities, and the importance of constructive conversations at a time when many immigrants are feeling disillusioned with their adopted country.
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Jimmie Åkesson and Richard Jomshof are old university friends and both were part of the "Gang of Four" who remoulded a party with Nazi roots into an electable entity.
Part of that remake involved scrapping an ethnocentric views of what it means to be Swedish. But Jomshof scratched an old itch recently by attempting to reestablish a biological link to Swedishness.
Sweden Democrat leader Åkesson responded angrily and Jomshof's standing in the party hierarchy is now in question. But what's behind the squabbling? And what does it say about the future of a party still licking its wounds after a disappointing election?
Host James Savage is joined this week by panelists Emma Löfgren and Emma Löfgren.
Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners.
Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:
Politics
Member Q&A: When will Sweden get a new government?
What happens next in the process to form a Swedish government?
Sweden Democrats
Sweden Democrat leader backs 'open Swedishness' amid high-profile party clash
OPINION: One Sweden, one 'folk'?
Swedish citizenship
Swedish agency calls for citizenship language tests to be postponed until 2029

Thumbnail photo: Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se
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This week's Sweden in Focus Extra podcast features an interview with Simon Montgomery, a British-American father facing expulsion from Sweden despite wanting to stay to take care of his one-year-old son.
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In this week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, The Local's Mandy Pipher catches up with a dad who has been fighting for the past year to be able to stay in Sweden with his baby son, despite a deportation order from the Swedish Migration Agency.
Although he's no longer together with his child's German mother, Simon Montgomery was determined to stay in Sweden to be fully present in his son't upbringing.
But he was left speechless by a migration court ruling that visa-free travel meant he could continue parenting from the UK and would not be granted leave to remain in Sweden.
Tune in to this week's podcast for the full story.
READ ALSO: 'He's the reason I'm here': Dad fights to stay in Sweden with baby son
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This week: Why are the Social Democrats acting like bit players? Why have a mother-to-be and an active father been told to leave Sweden? Are immigration laws scaring off foreign workers? And what do you need to know about All Saints' Day in Sweden?
There was a time when getting married to a Swede was an easy way to stay in Sweden. But these days it's a bit more complicated than that, host James Savage explains, citing the example of Brenda Ramström who recently had to fly to Brazil or risk a re-entry ban despite being 21 weeks pregnant.
We also saw a case this week about a British man who has been denied permission to stay despite being the father of a one-year-old child who lives in Sweden.
What's the logic behind these decisions?
To answer this and other questions, James is joined this week by panelists Mandy Pipher and Emma Löfgren.
Not yet a member of The Local? Join now with this special offer for podcast listeners.
Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode:
Politics
Swedish parliamentary speaker picks Centre Party leader as next PM candidate
New poll shows Sweden's Moderate Party just behind Social Democrats
Swedish finance minister prepares caretaker budget stripped of campaign promises
Immigration
'I want to be with my husband': Pregnant woman forced to leave Sweden
Swedish business sector urges next government to overhaul global talent strategy
Swedish traditions
Halloween vs All Saints' Day: How to celebrate in Sweden
Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock.

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